Addressing machine



Sept. 15, 1942. F. v. MOORE ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l p 142- F. v. MOORE 2,295,748

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENI OR.

flTTOIeNEY.

Sept. .15, 1942. F. v. MOORE 2,295,748

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1941 :5 Sheets-Sheet s 9 mm W /j////////////////// W //////.l

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 ADDRESSING MACHINE Frank V. Moore, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to John M. Alford, Galva, Ill.

Application May 22, 1941, Serial No. 394,610

11 Claims.

My invention relates to an addressing machine, and more particularly to a machine from which names and addresses are printed from prepared Plates.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical addressing machine of such character that may be economically built for general commercial purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for holding a roller carriage down firmly in a position to efl'eot printing from a plate fed from a supply of plates.

My invention also has for its objects to provide an addressing machine that is positive in operation, convenient in use, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a. plan view of an addressing machine embodying features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken underneath view of such embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view of such embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of operating mechanism,

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section, partly broken away, taken on the line l3-l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a section looking in the direction of the arrows l4-I4 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a broken section taken on the line I5I5 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 16 is a section taken on the line iii-l6 of Fig. 15, but showing a ribbon on the spool.

Fig. 17 is a perspective of an element of the ribbon reversing mechanism.

Fig. 18 is a section taken on the line l8l8 of Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference numbers l8 and I9 generally designate front and rear legs, respectively, having feet 20 and 2|. A platform 22 is arranged at the side of the addressing machine 23, for feeding address plates 24 to the machine. A container 25 is provided on the platform 22 for a supply of the plates 24. A receiving container 26 is provided at the opposite side of the addressing machine 23, for receiving plates 24 that have been printed.

Means for manually feeding the plates 24 successively comprises a lever 21 that is fulcrumed at 28. A return spring 29 tends to resist advancing movement of the lever 21 and tends to return it to its original position. The fulcrum 28 is provided on a bracket 30 on the frame 3| of the machine. The bracket 30 also aids in supporting the platform 22.

A feeding carriage 32 is mounted to slide upon a track 33. Fingers 34 are mounted on arms I42, which arms are pivoted upon a cross rod l4l on the carriage 32. A fiat spring I40 is arranged with its ends under the arms I42. The spring I40 tends to raise the arms, and thereby the fingers 34, to a position in which the fingers project through slots 35 in the platform floor. The spring I permits a downward yielding of the arms I42 and the fingers 34, upon the return movement of the carriage 32 to its original position: engaging the edge of the bottom plate. The fingers 34 successively engage an edge of the lowermost plate 24 and move it to the left in Figs. 1 and 2. A bolt 36, mounted on the carriage 32, pivotally connects with the lever 21 by means of a slot 31, whereby swinging movements of the lever 21 produce reciprocal movements of the carriage 32, to feed successive plates to the machine.

The plates 24 have identifying head members 38 attached to the printing portion 39 of the Plate. .A mask 40 is bolted to the platform 22, and provides windows 4| through which the head members 38 of the plates may be viewed as the plates are fed to the addressing machine 23. The

mask 40 provides an upper guide, as shown in Fig. 1, while a lower guide 42 is bolted opposite same for guiding the lower edge of the plates 24, as they are viewed in Fig. 1. A stop 43 limits the return movement of the lever 21. This stop 43 also provides a supporting leg for the platform 22.

The addressing machine comprises a frame 44 provided with upstanding lugs 45 upon which a roller carriage 46 is pivoted by means of a pin 41. The carriage 46 has an integral finger 48 projecting from the opposite side of the pin 41. A relatively fixed finger 49 on the frame 44 provides a fixed attachment for a spring 50, which is also connected with the finger 48. The spring 50 tends to move the roller carriage 46 to the open position shown in Fig. 4.

Pivotally mounted on the roller carriage 46 is a handle 5|. An arm 52 at the opposite side of the pivot 53 from the handle 5|, is pivotally connected with roller supporting arms 54. An impression roller 55 is mounted on the arms 54 for free rotation. The impression roller 55 is a resilient rubber composition for producing an even impression from a printing plate 24. The shaft 56 of the roller 55 rides upon tracks 51 at either side of the head 58 of the roller carriage 46. Suitable nuts 59 are employed to maintain the track rails 51 in their operative position. Where it is desired to cause the roller 55 to engage a wider or narrower area on the printing plate 24, longer or shorter track rails 51 are substituted for those shown. Adjusting screws 60 are arranged to adjust the track rails 51 in vertical planes.

Pivotally mounted on a lug 6| on the head 58 is an arm 62 that is provided with a shoulder 63. Spaced pins 64 and 65 on the arm 52 provide limits for the swinging movement of the arm 62. When the carriage head 58 is in the raised position, shown in Fig. 4, and the handle 5| is likewise in a raised position, the shoulder 63 of the arm 62 is engaged by the pin 64. This causes the handle 5|, the carriage 46 and the roller 55 to be locked with respect to one another, while the carriage and roller are being lowered to a printing position. When the carriage and roller reach the printing position, the roller 55 is released to roll across the printing plate. Fig. 6 shows the arm 62 just after it has been released and the printing roller 55 is beginning to roll across the printing plate. Fig. 7 shows the position of the addressing machine at the completion of the printing operation.

An H-shaped rocker 66 is pivoted on the pin 61 mounted in a boss 68 on the frame 44 of the machine. An adjusting screw 69 limits the inward movement of the rocker 66 toward the frame 44. A spring I tends to draw the rocker 66 toward the frame 44. A bolt 'II fastens an end of the spring I0 to the rocker 66. A coil spring I2 tends to return the handle to its original raised position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The carriage 46 also has integral fingers I3 and I4 which project rearwardly from the pin 41. The inner face of the upper ends of the rocker 66 are bevelled as shown at I5. The rear, squared faces of the fingers I3 and I4 slide upward on these bevelled faces I5 as the carriage head 58 descends toward the printing plate. When the carriage head 58 has been moved to the printing position shown in Fig.6, the spring'10 draws the rocker 66 under the ends of the fingers I3 and I4, thus blocking the carriage head 58 down in its printing position.

An angular sliding plate 16 is slidably held on under side of the carriage 46 by means of a bolt II arranged in a slot 18 in the plate. An adjusting screw I9 provided with a lock nut 80, is threaded through a flange 8| at the end of the slide plate I6, and abuts against a vertical inner face of the rocker 66. The screw 19 will adjust the release of the arm 62 since an angular abutment member 82 fastened to the slide I6 by means of a screw 83, engages the outer, cam end of the arm 62. As soon as the carriage head 58 has been moved to the printing position, and the rocker 66 has been looked under the fingers I3 and I4, the bevelled end of the arm 62 strikes the abutment 82, thus raising the arm 62 to disengage the shoulder 63 from the pin 64. Thereupon, the roller 55 may be moved across the printing plate by further depressing the handle 5|.

To provide automatic advancing of the ribbon, a leg 84 is mounted on the side of the finger 13. The leg 84 has a notched lower end 85. A reciprocating bar 86 has a pin 81 engaging the notch 85. The bar 86 has a longitudinally arranged rod 88 which reciprocates in a recess 89 in one of the front legs I8.

The bar 86 carries pivoted dogs 90 and 9|. The dogs are connected by a spring 92 which tends to swing the dogs toward each other. The dog 90 has a tooth 63 for engaging a ratchet 94 on a ribbon spool 95, while the dog 9| has a tooth 96 to engage a ratchet 91 on a ribbon spool 98. During each depression and return of the carriage head 58, the leg reciprocates to and from the broken line position shown in Fig. 12. This reciprocation causes the dog that is engaged with a ratchet, to advance the ratchet and thereby advance the ribbon 99 upon the respective spool.

Manual means for changing the direction of movement of the ribbon comprises a handle I00 on a sliding bar IOI movable along the bar 86. Lugs I02 on the bar IOI are bent over the top of the bar 86, to maintain the bar ml in relation to the bar 86. For the same purpose a screw I03 on the bar 86 engages a slot I04 in the bar IOI. Lugs I05 and I06 on the bar IOI are bent around under the bar 86. Movement of the lugs I05 and I06 to the left in Fig. 12 would move the dog into engagement with the ratchet 94 (as shown in broken lines) and permit the lug I06 to move the dog 9| out of engagement with the ratchet 91 (also shown in broken lines). The movement of the dogs away from the respective ratchets is against the action of the spring 92. Causing the ribbon to move in the opposite direction is efiected by moving the bar IM and thereby the lugs I05 and I06 to the position shown in Fig, 12.

Means for fastening the ribbon 99 on the spools includes a rod I01 that is mounted between the ends of the spool in laterally spaced relation to the shaft I08 of the spool. The ribbon is fed between the rod I0! and shaft I08, and then the ribbon is folded back on itself, as shown at I09, with a rod I I0 arranged in the fold. This is best shown in Fig. 16. The rod H0 is sufficiently large to prevent the folded ribbon from slipping between the rod I01 and the shaft I08.

The shaft I 08 of the spool is hollow with a spindle II2 passing through same. An enlarged threaded neck II3 of the spindle II2 provides means for screwing the spindle II2 into the frame 44 of the machine. An knurled head II4 for the spindle II2 may be provided.

A guide 5 limits the inward movement of sheets of paper or envelopes which are addressed on the present machine. The guide II5 has flanges II6 that are slotted at In for receiving adjusting screws I I8. A lug H9 is provided on the sliding plate I6 to limit lateral movement of the plate I6 away from the under side of the finger I4.

A fiat tension spring I20 has its ends engaging the heads of the spools 95 and 98, to prevent unrolling of the ribbon from the spools until driven. A printing shield I2I is provided for sliding envelopes or sheets of paper into the machine. The shield I2I has a window I22, where the ribbon appears superimposed upon the printing plate.

It is to be understood that at least one side of the carriage has a curved shoulder I30 which serves as a track for sliding movements of a pin I3I on a lug I32 on one of the arms 54. This shoulder I30 and pin I3I maintain the roller shaft 56 on the rails 51.

In the operation of my machine, a supply of addressing plates 24 is inserted in the container 25. The plates are successively fed into the machine by means of the feeding carriage 32, which is manipulated by the lever 21. As the printing plates are successively removed from the bottom of the stack in the container 25, they push forward into the machine the preceding plates, inasmuch as the plates are alined with their edges abutting.

When the desired plate is pushed under the shield I2I in such a position that the type on the plate is opposite the window I22, the envelope or sheet of paper is inserted under the printing head 58 until it is in engagement with the guide II5. Thereupon, pressure is applied to the handle 5I in a downward direction. The initial part of this movement causes the rocking carriage 46 to be moved down to a printing position, such as shown in Fig. 6. In this position the rocker 66 is swung under the fingers I3 and I4, by means of the spring I0, in order to lock the printing head 58 in its lowered, printing position.

As the rocker 66 is swung inward toward the frame of the machine, it engages the screw 19 extending through the lug BI on the sliding plate I6 and pushes the abutment 82 against the bevelled, cam end of the arm 62. This movement takes place after the rocker 66 has been moved to a locking position under the fingers I3 and "I4.

After the arm 62 has been released from the pin 64, by the abutment 82 on the sliding plate '16, further downward movement of the lever 5I causes the roller 55 to be drawn across the rear of the envelope or sheet to be printed, thus causing an impression of the type, through the ribbon, upon the face of the envelope or sheet of paper. ment of the roller 55, the arm 52 strikes an abutment I24 on the sliding plate I6, causing a rearward sliding movement of the plate 16, which moves the rocker 66 out from under the fingers I3 and I4. Then, upon release of the handle 5I, the springs 50 and 12 return the printing carriage 46 and the handle 5| to their original positions. Then, another printing plate is fed forwardly under the printing carriage 46 and the cycle of operation is gone through again. The plate just printed from is ejected to the left of the addressing machine into a box 26 for the used addressing plates.

The ribbon is fed forwardly as successive plates are printed, by means of the leg 84 reciprocating the bar 86. Upon each of these reciprocations, one of the spools is advanced, by reason of the ratchet on the spool and the engaging pivoted dog on the bar 86, and at the same time withdrawing the ribbon from the other spool.

Toward the end of the printing move- The direction of movement of the ribbon 99 is manually reversed by longitudinal movement of the bar IIlI through the intermediary of the handle I00. When a new ribbon is wound upon the spools, the end of the ribbon is folded upon itself, as suggested at I09, with a rod IIU within the fold, in order to anchor one end of the ribbon upon the spool.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an addressing machine, a frame having a printing area, a carriage pivoted to the frame to swing to and from a printing position, means to lock the carriage when it is swung to a printing position, a printing roller. means to roll the roller across the printing area, and mechanism controlled by the roller rolling means arranged to release the locking means substantially at the end of the printing operation.

2. In an addressing machine, a frame having a printing area, a carriage pivoted to the frame to swing to and from a printing position, a rocker on the frame arranged to rock to a locking position with respect to the carriage, when the carriage is swung to a printing position, a printing roller, means to roll the roller across the printing area, and mechanism controlled by the roller rolling means arranged to release the rocker substantially at the end of the printing operation.

3. In an addressing machine, a frame having a printing area, a carriage pivoted to the frame to swing to and from a printing position, means to lock the carriage when it is swung to a printing position, spring means urging the locking means to a locking position, when the carriage is swung to a printing position, a printing roller, means to roll the roller across the printing area, and mechanism controlled by the roller rolling means arranged to move the locking means to an unlocking position, against the action of said spring means, substantially at the end of the printing operation.

4. In an addressing machine, a frame having a printing area, a carriage pivoted to the frame to swing to and from a printing position, means to lock the carriage when it is swung to a printing position, spring means urging the locking means to a locking position, when the carriage is swung to a printing position, a printing roller, means to roll the roller across the printing area. and a sliding member arranged on the carriage to be slid thereon by movement of the roller rolling means, said member being arranged for its sliding movement to move the locking means to an unlocking position, against the action of the spring means, substantially at the end of the printing operation.

5. In an addressing machine, a frame, a carriage movable on the frame to and from a printing position, a roller mounted to roll across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, mechanism to lock the roller with respect to the carriage during movement of the carriage to a printing position, means to lock the carriage in the printing position, and means to release the roller locking mechanism connected to be actuated by the carriage locking means during locking movement of the latter means.

6. In an addressing machine, a frame, a carriage movable on the frame to and from a printing position, a roller mounted to roll across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, a manipulating handle connected to move the carriage to a printing position and to move the roller across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, mechanism to lock the handle, the roller and the carriage with respect to one another during movement of the carriage to a printing position, means to lock the carriage in the printing position, and means to release the handle-roller-carriage locking mechanism connected to be actuated by the carriage locking means.

'7. In an addressing machine, a frame, a carriage movable on the frame to and from a printing position, a roller mounted to roll across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, a manipulating handle connected to move the carriage to a printing position and to move the roller across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, mechanism to lock the handle, the roller and the carriage with respect to one another during movement of the carriage to a printing position, means to lock the carriage in the printing position, means to release the handle-roller-carriage locking mechanism connected to be actuated by the carriage locking means, and the roller being connected substantially at the end of the printing operation to actuate said releasing means to release the carriage locking means.

8. In an addressing machine, a frame, a carriage movable on the frame to and from a printing position, a roller mounted to roll across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, a manipulating handle connected to move the carriage to a printing position and to move the roller across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, mechanism to lock the handle, the roller and the carriage with respect to one another during movement of the carriage to a printing position, means to lock the carriage in the printing position, a reciprocating member arranged on the carriage to be reciprocated thereon, the carriage locking means being arranged to actuate movement of said member in one direction, releasing the handle-roller-carriage locking mechanism, and the handle being connected to reciprocate said member in the opposite direction, substantially at the end of the printing operation, releasing the carriage locking means.

9. In an addressing machine, a frame, a carriage movable on the frame to and from a printing position, a roller mounted to roll across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, a manipulating handle connected to move the carriage to a printing position and to move the roller across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, mechanism to lock the handle, the roller and the carriage with respect to one another during movement of the carriage to a printing position, means to lock the carriage in the printing position, spring means resisting movement of the carriage to a printing position, spring means resisting effective movement of the roller across the carriage in a printing position, spring means resisting movement of the carriage locking means from a locking position, a reciproeating member arranged on the carriage to be reciprocated thereon, the carriage locking means being arranged to actuate movement of said member in one direction, releasing the handleroller-carriage locking mechanism, and the handle being connected to reciprocate said member in the opposite direction, substantially at the end of the printing operation, releasing the carriage locking means.

10. In an addressing machine, a frame, a carriage movable on the frame to and from a printing position, a roller mounted to roll across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, mechanism to lock the roller and the carriage with respect to each other during movement of the carriage to a printing position, means to lock the carriage in the printing position, a reciprocating member arranged on the carriage to be reciprocated thereon, the carriage locking means being arranged to actuate movement of said member in one direction, releasing the roller and carriage locking mechanism, and the roller being connected to move said member in the opposite direction, substantially at the end of the printing operation, releasing the carriage locking means.

11. In an addressing machine, a frame, a carriage movable on the frame to and from a printing position, a roller mounted to roll across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, a manipulating handle connected to move the carriage to a printing position and to move the roller across the carriage when the latter is in a printing position, a pivoted bar locking the handle, the roller and the carriage with respect to on another during movement of the carriage to a printing position, means to lock the carriage in the printing position, the bar having a cam face, and movable means arranged to swing the bar about its pivot by engagement with its cam face, the movable means being connected to be actuated by the carriage locking means.

FRANK V. MOORE.

DISCLAIMER 2,295,748.-Frank V. Moore, Los Angeles, Calif. ADDRESSING MACHINE. Patent, dated September 15, 1942. Disclaimer filed April 10, 1944, by the assignee, John 111. Alford. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 4 in said specification.

[Ofiicial Gazette May 2, 1944.]

DISCLAIMER 2,295,748.Frank V, Moore, Los Angeles, Calif. ADDRESSING MACHINE. Patent dated September 15, 1942. Disclaimer filed September 14, 1944, by the assignee, Addressograph Multigraph Corporation. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, and 3 in said specification.

[Ojfic'ial Gazette October 1?, 1944.] 

